Good Charcoal Barbeque

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
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I've always been a propane man, but I'm in the market for a good cheap charcoal BBQ. Any recommendations?
 
Classic Weber Kettle Grill. Even the "expensive" ones are cheap and are very well made.
 
Yeah, I figured Weber was the way to go. What the heck is the difference between their "silver" and "gold" models? Looks like there's some kind of contraption on the bottom of the golds.
 
I just bought one of these at Rural King for 139.00. I used it this past weekend to smoke some ribs and it worked great. with the side smoker you can do indirect long smoking, use as a large grill or if just firing one or two steaks use the smoker pod as a grill and save on charcoal. It is heavy duty with cast iron grill racks not flimsy welded rod types. This is a great grill for the money.

http://www.grillsdirect.com/charcoa...s/chargrillersmokinprocharcoalsmokergrill.cfm
 
Little Weber, great grill can easily handle steak for 4 people and it is only about $30 at WalMart.

Home Depot has an Aussie Charcoal grill for about $45 that is pretty decent as well.

I've come to love a cast iron hibatchi that I bought, it was about $80 but worth every penny. Load a charcoal starter with Cowboy charcoal and put three sheets of newspaper in the bottom, hit it with a match and you will be cooking in 30 minutes without using starter fluid.

Cowboy charcoal is lump charcoal and it burn hotter than Kingsford etc.

I won't go back to briquets.

Take care,

Rick
 
Thanks everyone. Absintheur - that grill looks awesome. too bad the MSRP is out of my price range, but if I can find one for $140, I'll definitely have to pick it up.
 
My wife is very frustrated that we don't have a propane grill at our house. I keep telling her to have a custom island built with a grill, refrigerator, heating element and whatever else her little heart desires. Since she hasn't, it's a Weber Kettle for us, and I love it! I got the Weber Chimney to start the charcoal and throw in a few pieces of dried mesquite just before the food goes on. Freakin' awesome!

Win
 
rnpollard said:
Little Weber, great grill can easily handle steak for 4 people and it is only about $30 at WalMart.

Home Depot has an Aussie Charcoal grill for about $45 that is pretty decent as well.

I've come to love a cast iron hibatchi that I bought, it was about $80 but worth every penny. Load a charcoal starter with Cowboy charcoal and put three sheets of newspaper in the bottom, hit it with a match and you will be cooking in 30 minutes without using starter fluid.

Cowboy charcoal is lump charcoal and it burn hotter than Kingsford etc.

I won't go back to briquets.

Take care,

Rick
Click to expand...

I've had trouble regulating the time and temparature with lump. It doesn't seem to maintain a temp long enough for an amatuer like me to properly cook anything. I'll be practicing more this summer!
 
get a weber. i've got a 22.5" weber grill, a smokey joe (for picnics and tailgates), and a weber smokey mountain bullet smoker. the smoker is my favorite posession. i make ribs and pulled pork all the time and everybody goes crazy over it. my weber addiction is only rivaled by my knife addiction.
 
Weber!!



Smokey Joe in the picture. I also have a One Touch Silver 18.5. I prefered this one to the Gold as I think the vents are better situated.
 
I just like the ability to long smoke my meat in the Char Griller, something that is hard to do with indirect heat. I had one of the Weber Smokers but with the heat source directly under the food it was difficult to do a 6-8 smoking. For regular grilling I do like the cast iron grill surfaces better as well. Add in the cooking space (family cookout include all the family in town, 12 people plus friend) and the Weber was just too small.
 
I was present when George Gobel, a professor at Purdue, demonstrated the fastest way to get your charcoal ready for cooking, don't try this with a Weber. The only ignition source used was a lit cigarette and a little LOX...

[youtube]TBLr_XrooLs[/youtube]
 
Weber as well. I bought mine at least 6 years, and aside from the wooden handle weathering a bit it still looks new.

I always fiddle with the vents to get the best heat characteristics; wide open to start; then, when I have all the coals white-hot, I close the bottom vents to about 3/4 closed, and likewise the top vent.
The coals will turn a slightly darker shade of gray, then she's ready to cook for some time.
 
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